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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Washington, DC. Written by Chelsea Cirruzzo, Cuneyt Dil and Paige Hopkins.

Axios D.C.

Axios D.C. Thought Bubble

Don’t own a boat but want to get out on the water? The D.C. area has several boat rental services that loan powerboats by the hour. Two of the outfits are Airbnb-style, with reviews, special features, and boat owner information.

And if you do own a boat and are looking to make extra money, you can list it.

Based at The Wharf, they have a fleet of electric 18-foot picnic boats that fit up to eight people. Customers should bring their own drinks and snacks (no red wine allowed). 

Launched in 2013 in San Francisco, the company says it’s the world’s largest boat rental and water experience marketplace. There are dozens of D.C.-area listings.

Rentals start around $150 an hour with larger and luxury options starting around $350.

Launched in 2012, the company has listings around the world, including over 70 here.

Users can search based on whether or not they need a captain.

Smaller boats such as bayliners go for around $106/hour, with vessels described as luxury going for $350+/hour.

Before you set sail: All Washington-area boat drivers need a certification card.

D.C. requires a one-day, eight-hour course that's offered online and in person.

Virginia requires PWC drivers (jet skis, wave runners, etc.) and boaters driving vessels with motors powered by 10 hp or more to complete a safety course. There are online and free options.

Maryland requires anyone born on or after  July 1, 1972, to complete an eight-hour safety course. The price varies but there are online and free options.

Here's how to rent a boat in D.C.

Here are a few Airbnb style rental companies for boats.

Washington, D.C.

Don’t own a boat but want to get out on the water? The D.C. area has several boat rental services that loan powerboats by the hour. Two of the outfits are Airbnb-style, with reviews, special features, and boat owner information.<ul><li>And if you do own a boat and are looking to make extra money, you can list it.</li></ul>

Things to Do

Throughout the pandemic, restaurant owners have turned to food trucks for survival by literally meeting diners where they are: working and eating at home. 

What’s happening: You might’ve noticed a steady stream of restaurants-on-wheels stopping by your neighborhood these last two years. Most local food trucks have left downtown streets behind and have migrated to residential areas instead. 

Meanwhile, the fleet of trucks in the District has expanded — to 198 as of last month.

According to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which monitors the industry, that was a 21.5% increase from April 2020.

Why it matters: The pandemic has been absolutely brutal for restaurants, and even with more diners out and about, the industry still faces a raft of headwinds. But food trucks are helping some business owners stay afloat, all while bringing dinner to our doorsteps.   

What they’re saying: PhoWheels owner Tuan Vo says his truck is bringing in more revenue now than before the pandemic. He’s also seen an increase in private bookings for weddings, festivals, and birthday parties. 

Vo says that pre-pandemic, the truck would usually be booked only one or two months in advance, but he’s currently booked on most Fridays and Saturdays until November.

Pepe, a food truck by José Andrés, has shifted to focusing on private and community events during the pandemic. Sous chef José Rivera emailed Axios that the truck is "incredibly busy" and is open now more than it was before the pandemic.

Yes, but: The food truck fix hasn’t endured for everyone. The mobile businesses are expensive to maintain and tough to staff because at least one employee has to be certified to drive the truck. 

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken owner Elliot Spaisman says the early days of the pandemic were lucrative for his truck: “It was wild those first couple months.” But revenue slowed as the pandemic continued.

He shuttered the truck last fall due to staffing issues and pricey repairs. 

Similarly, Roaming Roster cut its fleet of four food trucks to two. 

On the flip side, it has opened six new brick-and-mortar locations and now all but one of its restaurants are mainly in residential areas. 

What we’re watching: As the pandemic goes on and work-from-home lifestyles adjust, the food truck scene may further evolve as restaurant owners continue searching for ways to attract customers.

D.C.'s food truck fix

Some restaurant owners have pivoted to rely on food trucks during the pandemic.

Throughout the pandemic, restaurant owners have turned to food trucks for survival by literally meeting diners where they are: working and eating at home. What’s happening: You might’ve noticed a steady stream of restaurants-on-wheels stopping by your neighborhood these last two years. Most local food trucks have left downtown streets behind and have migrated to residential areas instead. Meanwhile, the fleet of trucks in the District has expanded — to 198 as of last month.<ul><li>According to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which monitors the industry, that was a 21.5% increase from April 2020.</li></ul>Why it matters: The pandemic has been absolutely brutal for restaurants, and even with more diners out and about, the industry still faces a raft of headwinds. But food trucks are helping some business owners stay afloat, all while bringing dinner to our doorsteps.   What they’re saying: PhoWheels owner Tuan Vo says his truck is bringing in more revenue now than before the pandemic. He’s also seen an increase in private bookings for weddings, festivals, and birthday parties. <ul><li>Vo says that pre-pandemic, the truck would usually be booked only one or two months in advance, but he’s currently booked on most Fridays and Saturdays until November.</li></ul>Pepe, a food truck by José Andrés, has shifted to focusing on private and community events during the pandemic. Sous chef José Rivera emailed Axios that the truck is &quot;incredibly busy&quot; and is open now more than it was before the pandemic.Yes, but: The food truck fix hasn’t endured for everyone. The mobile businesses are expensive to maintain and tough to staff because at least one employee has to be certified to drive the truck. Astro Doughnuts &amp; Fried Chicken owner Elliot Spaisman says the early days of the pandemic were lucrative for his truck: “It was wild those first couple months.” But revenue slowed as the pandemic continued.<ul><li>He shuttered the truck last fall due to staffing issues and pricey repairs. </li></ul>Similarly, Roaming Roster cut its fleet of four food trucks to two. <ul><li>On the flip side, it has opened six new brick-and-mortar locations and now all but one of its restaurants are mainly in residential areas. </li></ul>What we’re watching: As the pandemic goes on and work-from-home lifestyles adjust, the food truck scene may further evolve as restaurant owners continue searching for ways to attract customers.

Food and Drink

Business

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission audit that preceded 72 train operators being pulled from service is packed with troubling safety issues within the agency.

Why it matters: Even as ridership has fallen during the pandemic, Metrorail transports roughly 230,000 people each weekday, and safety oversights put those riders in danger.

The big picture: The audit — which spans more than 50 pages — says the agency has “a culture that accepts noncompliance” with written rules, a “hit or miss” record when it comes to adequate training for key personnel, and poor internal communication. 

Training-specific findings went beyond re-certification issues:

Employees responsible for leading a variety of trainings are not always properly trained themselves. 

What’s more, “Personnel who have taught train operator classes said there are definitely people who have been certified ... who they would not get on the train with if that person was the operator,” the audit says.

Proper “territory familiarization” was also lacking for multiple positions, including new or recently transferred train operators who may not know their new line or understand important nuances such as spots where it’s more difficult to stop.

Inspectors noted multiple instances of improperly granting “foul time,” a process that ensures a track is clear before an employee enters it. Foul time would be needed for employees on the track for repair work or to retrieve dropped items. 

Workers were using expired electric gloves, which prevent electrocution. Furthermore, employees who use the gloves didn’t know they had an expiration date.

The audit cites multiple examples of terminal supervisors and interlocking operators watching videos on their personal devices during safety incidents, including the 2020 derailment in the Alexandria Yard.

State of play: The safety commission released another report yesterday detailing the agency’s improper power restoration process, which puts workers in danger of having the electricity turned back on before they leave the track. It says the agency continues to “put its personnel at risk of serious injury or death” by not following its own rules.

💭 Our thought bubble: Although not entirely surprising for the transit service that launched the “Back2Good” initiative in 2016, this is an unsettling set of findings. 

Safety audit shows Metro is Back2Bad

A recent audit found a number of concerning Metrorailsafety issues.

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="audit" data-vars-click-url="https://wmsc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WMSCRailOperationsAudit_FinalReport.pdf" data-vars-content-id="8321bb6a-21fa-4ef3-a31c-875a1f0f1d8b" data-vars-headline="Safety audit shows Metro is Back2Bad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://wmsc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WMSCRailOperationsAudit_FinalReport.pdf" target="_blank">audit</a> that preceded 72 train operators being <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pulled from service" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-dc-8fdaecaa-78ce-46a3-bb1a-be8f1b39e8ed.html?chunk=0&amp;utm_term=emshare" data-vars-content-id="8321bb6a-21fa-4ef3-a31c-875a1f0f1d8b" data-vars-headline="Safety audit shows Metro is Back2Bad" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-dc-8fdaecaa-78ce-46a3-bb1a-be8f1b39e8ed.html?chunk=0&amp;utm_term=emshare" target="_self">pulled from service</a> is packed with troubling safety issues within the agency.Why it matters: Even as ridership has fallen during the pandemic, Metrorail transports roughly 230,000 people each weekday, and safety oversights put those riders in danger.

News

Office occupancy is still low and yet traffic is exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to a new JLL report.

What’s happening: The pandemic has taken us from a couple of rush hour spikes in traffic in the morning and evening to a steady stream of traffic throughout the day.

By the numbers: In February, JLL found that the number of vehicle trips per month in D.C. was up 120% compared to 2019.

Foot traffic is also climbing and reached 71% of 2019 levels in March.

Metro ridership has only reached 36.4% of 2019 levels.

Why it matters: Even with lots of Washingtonians still working from home, the new pattern makes avoiding traffic a lot harder.

Between the lines: The last six months have been plagued with Metro safety issues that have increased wait times and likely pushed commuters to drive, adding to our traffic woes. And before that, COVID lockdowns and fears added to the steep drop in Metro ridership.

What to watch: Before the pandemic, 40% of Metro riders were federal employees, according to JLL. As the agencies return to the office, ridership is expected to increase.

D.C.’s new pandemic rush hour

The pandemic has taken us from a couple rush hour spikes in traffic in the morning and evening, to a steady stream of traffic throughout the day.

Vehicle traffic in front of the Capitol. 

Photo: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Office occupancy is still low" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2022/03/30/dc-return-to-office" data-vars-content-id="8d8124ee-1d0a-474d-bb83-6bdb2df54a3a" data-vars-headline="D.C.’s new pandemic rush hour" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2022/03/30/dc-return-to-office" target="_self">Office occupancy is still low</a> and yet traffic is exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to a new <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="JLL report" data-vars-click-url="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&amp;ik=48a962dae4&amp;attid=0.1&amp;permmsgid=msg-f:1732988411644981090&amp;th=180ccfc753f7af62&amp;view=att&amp;disp=safe&amp;realattid=180ccf4992550b10afd1" data-vars-content-id="8d8124ee-1d0a-474d-bb83-6bdb2df54a3a" data-vars-headline="D.C.’s new pandemic rush hour" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&amp;ik=48a962dae4&amp;attid=0.1&amp;permmsgid=msg-f:1732988411644981090&amp;th=180ccfc753f7af62&amp;view=att&amp;disp=safe&amp;realattid=180ccf4992550b10afd1" target="_blank">JLL report</a>.What’s happening: The pandemic has taken us from a couple of rush hour spikes in traffic in the morning and evening to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="steady stream of traffic" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/02/14/pandemic-changed-rush-hour-traffic" data-vars-content-id="8d8124ee-1d0a-474d-bb83-6bdb2df54a3a" data-vars-headline="D.C.’s new pandemic rush hour" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/02/14/pandemic-changed-rush-hour-traffic" target="_self">steady stream of traffic</a> throughout the day.

The national home-buying binge is finally winding down, but D.C.’s market is still hot.

What’s happening: Wealthy D.C. buyers haven't been impacted by rising interest rates as much as buyers in other parts of the country. And data from the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors shows that the current market is still outperforming the pre-pandemic market.

The median sold price for D.C. homes was $699,000 in April. That’s an almost $40,000 increase compared to March 2022 and April 2021 (the median was $660,000 for both months).

Homes spent an average of 28 days on the market last month, which is almost a week less than the national average of 34 days.

Closed sales in April were up 2.5% compared to March, but down 11.9% compared to last April.

Zoom out: Nationally, new home sales plunged in April, falling 16.6% from March to 591,000, well below economists' forecast of 750,000, according to data out Tuesday, Axios’ Emily Peck writes. 

It's the slowest pace since April 2020 — when the economy froze briefly before the boom began.

Existing national home sales — perhaps a better measure of the U.S. market because it's a much larger segment — are also trending down, falling for three straight months, according to the National Association of Realtors.

D.C.'s market bucks national housing trends

D.C.'s real estate market isn't slowing down as quickly as other places around the U.S.

An "under contract" sign outside a house for sale.

The national home-buying binge is finally winding down, but D.C.’s market is still hot.What’s happening: Wealthy D.C. buyers haven&#x27;t been impacted by <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rising interest rates" data-vars-click-url="https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/3496142-dc-housing-market-hot-despite-rate-hikes/" data-vars-content-id="a598ca46-0507-4eed-824b-531baaeaf4ea" data-vars-headline="D.C.&#x27;s market bucks national housing trends" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/3496142-dc-housing-market-hot-despite-rate-hikes/" target="_blank">rising interest rates</a> as much as buyers in other parts of the country. And data from the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors shows that the current market is still outperforming the pre-pandemic market.

Paige Hopkins

Featured stories

D.C.'s market bucks national housing trends

D.C.’s new pandemic rush hour

D.C.'s food truck fix

Here's how to rent a boat in D.C.

Safety audit shows Metro is Back2Bad